Automatic poultry feeder



June 3, 1952 A. DALE ET AL AUTOMATIC POULTRY FEEDER Filed NOV. 12, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Fig.

Inventors Allan 1.. Dale James B. Furnace June 3, 1952 D ETAL 2,598,977

AUTOMATIC POULTRY FEEDER Filed Nov). 12, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 3 l6 3 i 11:11 I I I Fig. 7. 34

22 I9 4 I I -23 4 l i 26 5 5 25 -6 24 6 ll 27 H 6 30 29 Inventors Al/an L. Dale James B. Furnace nun away 8% Patented June 3, 1952 i AUTOMATIC POULTRYFEEDER Allan L. Dale, Salt Lake City, and James B.

Furnace, Draper, Utah said Furnace said Dale assignor to Application November 12, 1948, Serial No. 59,522

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic poultry feeders to dispense a predetermined quantity of feed at predetermined intervals.

An important object of the invention is to provide an automatic poultry feeder including a supply hopper and a measuring hopper with a normally open valve between the hoppers to maintain a full supply of feed in the measuring hopper and providing a timed control motor operated scatterer for the measuring hopper to dispense the feed therefrom and providing solenoid operating means for the valve energized simultaneously with the motor of the scatterer to close the valve when the scatterer is in operation.

A still further object is to provide novel regulating means for controlling the amount of feed supplied to the measuring hopper and dispensed therefrom.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus of this character of simple and practical construction, which is eflicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing the sliding valve;

Figures 4, and 6 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on the lines 4-4, 5-5, and 6-6 of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the interchangeable regulating tubes for the measuring hopper.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration we have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates a hollow base having a shelf 6 supported therein below its top on which a vertical tube 1 is suitably secured for supporting a measuring hopper 8 on the upper end of the tube.

A feed supply hopper 9 is supported above measuring hopper 8 by means of externally threaded necks I8- and Illa which may be integrally formed with the hoppers 8 and 9, or other- 2 Claims. (01. 119-56) wise suitably secured thereto. The supply hopper 9is closed by a removable top I l.

r The necks I8 and Illa are rigidly connected to each other by means of a collar 12 threaded thereon, the collar having valve chambers l3 and I4 projecting outwardly at diametrically opposite sides thereof and in which a sliding valve I5 is slidably positioned, the valve working between the adjacent'endsof necks I8 and la. The

valve i5 is constructed in the form of a rectangular plate having an opening l6 therein for movement into and out of registry with necks pensing openings [9 at a point enclosed by a rotary scatterer 28 surrounding the tube. The scatterer is composed of upper and lower spaced apart plates 2| and 22 with radial vanes 23 positioned therebetween.

The lower plate 22 of the scatterer is suitably secured to a pulley 24 journaled on a lower portion of tube 1 and driven by a belt 25 from a pulley 26 on the upper end of the shaft 21 of an electric motor 28 suitably secured on shelf 5.

The solenoid I8 and motor 28 are connected in a circuit with a timed control switch 29 of a conventional type whereby to simultaneously energize the solenoid and motor.

The motor 28 is swingably adjusted on a vertical pin 30 and the shaft 21 extends upwardly through an arcuate slot 3| in shelf 6 to provide belt tightening means for belt 25.

The measuring hopper 8 is removably connected to tube 1 by a set screw 33 to permit interchangeably placing of longitudinally split regulating tube 34 in the top of tube 1. The tube 34 may be of different lengths to vary the amount of feed which may be dispensed from hopper 8, at any one time and it is frictionally held in tube 1.

In the operation of the device a supply of feed sufiicient to last several days is placed in hopper 9, the valve [5 remaining open while scatterer 28 is not operating to fill and refill the hopper 8 after each dispensing operation.

The timing switch 29 will energize the solenoid l8 and motor 28 simultaneously at predetermined intervals to close valve I5 and rotate scatterer 20 to dispense the feed sufiicient for a single feeding from hopper 8.

The circuit wire leading from switch 29 to solenoid [8 extends upwardly through tube I and hopper 8 to protect the wire and the split regulating tube BLenabIeslpIacing .of the wire therein when the regulating tube is used.

The hopper 8 is provided with an inspection window 35. r

'In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying idrawingsiit is believed that a clear understanding of thewlevice will be quite apparent -to'ithosei,.skilledlin this art. A more detailed description'is accordingly deemed unnecessary. 7

It is to be understood, however, "that even though there is herein shown and described :a preferred embodiment of the inventionthe same is susceptible to certain .changes fully comprehended by the 'spiritoffthje inventiont'a's :herein described and (the scope'ofthe appendedplaims.

Having described'the.invention-whatistlaimed a lateral dispensing io'peningia' verticallyfaidjus'table nieasu'ring tube mounted ,thedishatge' tube in positionto open an'd .close'theiopeningto regulate the "volume of feed tdischargedii'from the '4 hopper, a scatterer rotatably mounted on th discharge tube below the opening to receive feed therefrom, and operating means for the scatterer.

2. In a poultry feeder, 'a hopper having a discharge tube extending downwardly from its bottom and supporting the hopper, said tube having a lateral dispensing opening, a vertically adjuste'ably measuring tube mounted in the discharge tube in position to open and close the opening to regulate the volume of feed discharged from the hopper, a hollow scatterer rotatably mounted on Lthe .discharge .tube below the opening to receive .feed.therefrom, a. pulley secured to the underside tdf'theiscatterer, and drive means for the pulley.

' ALLAN L. DALE.

JAMES B. FURNACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the lfile .ofthis patent:

:UNITED STATES :PATENTS Number Name I Date 346,504 Sears Augj3, 1886 "534,082 'Reeder Feb. 12,1895

-1;359,'69l Genuit 'Nov. 23,1920

.FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country :Date

"153,095 Austria Apr. 1 1, 1938 

